Drawstring fastener



NOV. 13, 194-5. TALBQTT ETAL. 2,333,???

DRAW-STRING FASTENER Filed, Sept. 14, 1944 INVENTORS do n H 75! go 66 WIY/l'a/h chrlsfensen 9% M w- ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 13, 1945 S PATE NT OFFICE DRAWSTRING FASTENER John H. Talbott, United States Army, and William R. Christensen, United States Army, Lawrence,

Mass.

Application September 14, 1944, Serial No. 554,134

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 7 Claims.

The invention described herein, if patented may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates generally to an improvement in garments, particularly to a draw-string closure means adapted to fasten an opening of the garment about a portion of the body.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a means whereby the bottom of trousers may betied about the leg of the wearer to prevent dirt, insects and other foreign objects from penetrating, be easily fastened and readily adjustable, yet readily unfastened'when so desired.

Obviously the same draw-string closure system may be adapted for use for other locations in garments.

It is another object of the invention to provide a draw-string system which will gather a garment hem uniformly and adjustably so that it about a body member, the closure is firm yet flexible and comfortable.

It is a further object to provide a draw-string system for the bottom of trousers which will wear well, stand rough usage, and remain comfortable and readily positionable for the life of the garment.

It is a specific object of this invention to provide a draw-string system which will firmly hold the trouser about the leg, prevent the trouser from riding up on the leg, and which will fit unobtrusively into the bottom hem of the trouser when it is not desired to have the garment closed. Similar closures may be used at the waist, Wrist, neck, about the face, or at other locations on garments. The accompanying drawing shows certain embodiments particularly adapted for Army field use.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a draw-string closure of generally improved construction, whereby the device will be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and efficient in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction herein described and claimed; it being understood that various changes in form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any advantages of the invention.

For a complete disclosure of the invention, a

detail description thereof will now be given in connection with the drawing forming a part of the specification wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view of the lower end of a trouser leg, embodying the invention, showing the trouser leg expanded with the draw-string ends nearly flush.

Fig. 2 is a view of the trouser of Fig. 1 as drawn up against the leg of the wearer for field use.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the tied closure showing an elongated draw-string passing under the instep of the wearer with the loop and ends inserted in a pocket in the hem.

Fig. 4 is an expanded View showing the drawstrings only, the hem of the trouser being omitted for clarity.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but shows reinforced grommets and a long end for tying under the instep.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of an aperture showing how the anchored end of the draw-string may be fastened around its aperture to serve as a reinforced grommet. I k

Fig. 7 is a View of the draw-string only, showing how the knot may be tied under the instep.

As a preferred form of this invention are shown trousers designed for field use wherein two drawstrings 5 are used, entering opposite sides of the trouser hem 2 near the bottom of trouser leg I and each extending substantially completely around the hem so that the anchored end is permanently attached near the point at which the draw-string enters the hem through the aperture 3. on light fabrics especially, and wherever desired for strength, the anchored end may I be passed around the draw-string openin and back onto itself to form a reinforced grommet 1 as more clearly shown in Fig. 5 which thereby relieves stress upon the fabric at the draw-string aperture 3, and reduces the possibility of tearing.

Where the fabric is sufliciently sturdy, the end of the draw-string may be sewn to the fabric direct, as in Fig. 4. The end is preferably looped to prevent tearing or leaving a free selvedge edge as shown at H. The anchored end may be sewn on top the hem, crossing over the free end, as this embodiment is particularly easy to construct. The free end of the draw-string is treated with a resin, natural or synthetic, or a heavy wax to form a ball 6, or is knotted and impregnated with either wax or resin, or is sewn to a small button, to prevent the end of the draw-string from being lost through the aperture to the inside of the hem. The end thus enlarged will not readily pass into its aperture opening, but if the drawstring is of proper length, will lie flat very close to the aperture so that the trousers may be worn in the expanded position without the draw-string being noticeable or catching on objects, thus permitting the cuff to be worn as are normal trousers with usual press and appearance when the draw-string closure feature is not needed.

When closure is desired for Warmth or protection, the two draw-strings are pullled causing uniform drawing of the trouser, both front and' back, due to the double draw-strings of this invention, so that the trouser leg uniformly pulls against the leg or the top of the shoe as may be desired, thus giving complete protection at the trouser hem as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The use of strings pulling at both front and back causes puckering at both places giving a uniformity of draw not possible with a single draw-string. The string may be tied 9 either in front as hown in Fig. 2, behind the ankle, or under the instep II] as shown in Fig. 3. A modification is shown in Fig. 5 in which one string. I3 is longer than the hem length so that there is sufiicient length to permit the string to pass completely under the instep and be tied at the hemline where the knot will not get so dirty from contact with the ground. A small gap is left in the hemline at each side near the side seam to serve as a pocket 8 for the loose ends of the draw-strings when a longer draw-string is used. Reinforced stitching is preferably used at each end of the gap to prevent tearing or lengthening, of the gap. The drawstring itself may be constructed of stiff elastic or braided tape or braided seamless tubing or other durable stout tape or cord. The elastic is particularly useful when the trousers are worn over field shoes with either direct or under instep tie. The breadth of the invention is more readily understood by the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

l. A garment containing a closure for a body portion comprising a hem provided with -two apertures encircling a garment opening, two cooperating draw-strings enclosed therein, each draw-string fastened at one end to the hem adjacent the aperture from which the respective draw-string emerges, said aperturesbeing on substantially opposite sides of the. garment opening, the unfastened end of each draw-string emerging through its respective aperture.

2. In a closure for a trouser leg, means comprising a hem provided with two apertures upon the trouser leg, two draw-strings, each anchored at one end to the hem of the trousers and completely encircling the leg of the trouser within the hem, with the emergent end leaving the hem adjacent its respective anchor through an aperture in the hem, the strings being emergent on approximately opposite lateral sides of the trouser leg, and of such length as to barely protrude when the trouser leg is fully opened 3. A trouser leg containing a draw-string type closure comprising a hemprovided with two apertures at the lower end of the trouser leg, two draw-strings, one end of each encircling it respective string aperture to form a reinforcing grommet therefor, each string encircling the trouser leg, within the hem, and emerging from the trouser hem through its string aperture, the two apertures being on substantially opposite sides of the interior of the trouser leg.

4. A draw-string closure for a trouser leg having a hem provided with two aperture at its lower end comprising two substantially identical draw-strings, one on each side of the trouser leg, and arranged so that the emergent portions point in the same direction around the periphery of the leg, each of said draw-strings being anchored at one end to the hem of the trouser leg, said end encirclin a draw-string aperture for each so as to reinforce said aperture, the draw-string encircling the trouser leg within the hem, and emerging slightly from the draw-string aperture, the free end having an integral enlargement thereon to prevent loss of the end in the hem, and the free ends of the draw-strings being detachedly engageable for tying purposes when partially pulled from the hem.

5. In a garment of the character described, a trouser leg, including a hem thereon provided with two apertures, on approximately opposite sides of the trouser leg, at least one gap in the stitching of the hem, adjacent an aperture, to serve as a pocket for loose string ends, and two draw-strings, one end of each anchored to the hem and encircling said apertures to serve as reinforcing grommets for the apertures, said drawstrings each being inclosed in the hem, and extending completely around the trouser leg, and emerging through the respective aperture to Which it is anchored, and an enlargement of the free end to prevent loss in the hem, the string being of such length that the enlargement is just emergent when the hem is extended.

6'. A closure for a garment comprising two similar drawstrings and a hem upon said garment adjacent a body member opening thereof, said hem having at least one gap in the stitching thereof to serve as a pocket for loose string ends and being provided with two oppositely positioned apertures through each of which an end of one drawstring emerges, one end of each drawstring being anchored adjacent the aperture through which its opposite end extends, said strings being adapted to close the garment opening about the body member when the strings are pulled.

7. In a trouser leg provided with a hem at its bottom, a drawstring device mounted within the hem and extending longitudinally within the hem throughout the circumference of the trouser leg, the inner wall of the hem being provided with a slit on each side of the trouser leg through which the free ends of the drawstring devic extend to the interior of the trouser leg.

JOHN H. TALBOTT. WILLIAM R. CHRISTENSEN. 

